Toy



April 9, 1963 M. l. GLASS ET AL 3,084,934

TOY

Fiied April 12. 1961 INVENTORS.

assess: TOY

Marvin I. Giass, Qhicago, and Leonid Kripak, Villa Park, Iii-3 said Kripak assignor to said Glass Filed Apr. 12, B61, Ser. No. 102,447 Ciahns. (Cl. 272-27) This invention relates to a toy or novelty item and more particularly to a surprise action novelty timepiece.

People of all ages have derived pleasure and enjoyment from novelty items. So long as people have imagination and initiative there will be a demand for surprise action novelties, i.e., items which provide an unexpected effect. One way of producing such an effect is to incorporate a surprise action into a normally non-suspect item. Generally, people are conditioned to respond in certain patterns or particular ways to the ordinary things in their surroundings, and considerable surprise may be produced by constructing one of these everyday things to produce an unexpected effect.

Broadly, the object of the present invention is to provide a highly attractive toy or novelty item. More specifically, an object is to provide a novelty timepiece which incorporates a surprising novelty action. It is a further object to provide a device which realistically simulates the appearance of an ordinary timepiece so as to present no forewarning of its surprise quality. It is a further object to provide a timepiece which may be quickly and easily reset in a single operation for repeated action. It is another object to provide a sound effect in timed relation to the surprise effect of the timepiece. Finally, an objective is the provision of such a novelty which is simple and easy to operate, economical to manufacture, yet durable and lasting.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational View of a novelty wrist watch which embodies various features of the invention and is shown being worn on the wrist of a user (its ejected position being shown in dotted lines);

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view (with parts broken away) of the watch shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view generally similar to FIG. 2, being further enlarged and having various parts broken away and insection;

FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view taken generally along line 55 of FIG. 4, showing particularly the soundproducing means of the watch;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the cover plate for the lower section of the watch, along with the pivot arm, its associated spring, and a portion of the ejection spring;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the ejectab'le section and a portion of the ejection spring;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the driver member of the sound-producing means; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the driven member of the sound-producing means.

Briefly, the illustrated novelty wrist watch 26 cornprises a body 22 simulating the appearance of awrist watch. The body 22 includes an ejectable section 2.4 which jumps outwardly at the victim to produce a surprise eiiect, when a control or operatingrneans 26 is actuated. The illustrated watch 20 also includes soundproducing means 28 which is operated to produce .a sound effect in timed relation to the projection of section 24. Further, in the illustrated watch 20, the section 24 may be returned to its original position on the watch hired rates Patent ice and the device placed in the cocked or set position, i.e., section 24 ready to be projected by the actuation of the operating means 26 and the sound-producing means 28 ready to be operated in timed relation to that projection, by a single, simple resetting operation.

For convenience of description, the watch 20 will be described in its normal operating position, that is with its face upwardly, as shown in FIG. 4.

Generally, the body 22 is comprised of a lower base section or case 30 and the ejectable or upper section 24 which is connected to the base section by suitable ejection means in the form of a spring 32.

As seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the case 3% is a generally circular, upwardly open cup-shaped structure conveniently made from a material such as metal or plastic. The case 36 includes a generally horizontal bottom wall 33 and a generally vertical side wall 35 which extends upwardly from the outer periphery of the bottom wall. The case 30 further includes a simulated winding knob 34, a simulated control button 36 and a pair of opposed external extensions 38 which simulate the appearance of brackets for supporting a watchhand 49. A generally vertical, cylindrical, main or center support stud or shaft 45 extends upwardly from about the center of the bottom wall 333.

Three circumferentially spaced, support blocks 46 are fixed to the inside of the side wall 35 adjacent its upper edge. Each block 46 has an upper surface which lies in a common, generally horizontal plane positioned somewhat below the level of the upper edge of the vertical side wall 35. Each of the blocks 46 has therein a vertical tapped hole 48.

A circular cover plate 50, shown in detail in FIG. 6, is secured in a generally horizontal position extending over the top of the cup-shaped case 3%. In the illustrated embodiment, the plate 50 is attached to the case Si) by three screws 51 which are threaded into the tapped holes 48 in the support blocks 46. When so attached, the upper surface of the plate 5i lies in a plane spaced below the upper edge of the side wall 35. A circular hole or aperture 53 is provided in the center of the plate 50.

The ejectable section 24, shown in detail in FIG. 7 and in cross-section in FIG. 4, includes a generally circular plate 5 2 having a downwardly extending, right angle peripheral flange 54. The ejectable section 24 may be constructed of a material similar to that used for the case 36 When the watch 2% is assembled in the cocked or set position (FIG. 4), the plate 52 extends generally horizontally with the flange 54 extending downwardly therefrom. The flange 54, assists in positioning the ejectable section 24 with respect to the case 30, and if desired, may be constructed to fit snugly around the wall 35 of the case 3%) to aid in holding the ejectable section 24 in the set position. When so assembled, the marginal portion of the undersurface of the plate 52 rests upon the upper edge of the vertical wall 35, leaving a space 56 (FIG. 4) between the plate 52 of the ejectahle section 24 and the cover plate 50.

As shown in FIG. 4, an upwardly directed watch face 55 is secured upon the upper surface of the plate .52 A peripheral rib 57 extends upwardly from the edge of plate 52 and is provided with a groove 58 for receiving the edge of a transparent circular crystal 59 to maintain the crystal on the watch.

The ejectable section 24- also includes a generally circulandownwardly depending sleeve or hub 69 having an axial hole or bore 62 adapted to receive the upper ,part of the stud 45.1501 relative rotation therebetween and axially sliding contact. The lower part of the downwardly extending sleeve 60 has a smaller diameter than that of the upper part and includes a tab or lug 87 adjacent the upper part and a pair of opposed cam edges or faces 61 on the extreme lower end for engagement with other parts as will be described.

A generally conically-shaped, spirally coiled, compression spring constitutes the ejection spring 32 forthe watch 20. The ejection spring 32 has its inner end attached to the upper or enlarged part of the sleeve 60 of the ejectable section 24, as by means of being formed to fit a circumferential groove 68 and a radially extending hole 70 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The outer end of the spring 32 is fixed to the case 30 as by means of passing through one or more slots 72 in the shoulder blocks 46 (FIGS. 4 and 5), and being bent to prevent withdrawal through the slots 72.

When the ejectable section '24 is positioned upon the case 30 in the set or loaded position, the spring 32 is collapsed from an expanded position (FIG. 7), to a compressed position shown in FIG. 4, wherein the spring 32 is located in the space 56 between the plate 52 and the cover plate 50. The spring 32 tends to project the ejectable section 24 upwardly, but this is prevented by the operating means 26 which utilizes frictional force to prevent disconnection of the ejectable section 24 from the case 30.

The operating means 26 in the illustrated novelty com- I prises a rotatably shiftable or pivotable member 74, a power spring 76 urging the member 74 in one direction (counter-clockwise in the disclosed construction) and means 73 releasably engageable to prevent rotation of the pivotable member 74 under the influence of the cooked power spring 76, thereby retaining the power spring in cocked condition and creating frictional forces of sufficient magnitude to overcome the outwardly directed force The plate 79 includes a driver gear segment 80 which extends around approximately one half of the periphery of the plate, a reduced diameter portion 81 extending around the remainder of the periphery, and an outwardly extending stop arm 82. The plate 79 and the sound producing means 28 are so located that the driver gear segment 80 operatively engages the sound-producing means incident to movement of the pivotable member 74 during both tensioning and release of the power spring 76.

The power spring 76 in the illustrated device performs the beforementioned dual function of serving, in cooperation with other parts, to maintain the ejectable section 24 upon the case 30 against the force of the ejecting spring 32, and of supplying power for the sound-producing means 28. The spring 76, encircles the sleeve 77 of the pivotable member 74, having one end abutted against a stud 83 attached to the bottom wall 33 of the case 38, and its other end abutted against a stud 84 on the pivotable member 74, so as to urge the pivotable member 74 in the counter-clockwise direction. However, pivotal movement of member 74 is limited by the engagement of its stop arm 82 with a stop button or stud 85 fixed to the case 30, thereby maintaining the member 74 in the position shown in FIG. 5. In this position, the teeth of the driver gear segment 80 are disengaged from the sound-producing means 28.

The frictional forces which prevent the ejection of the 7 section 24 from the case 30 when the power spring 76 is cocked, are created along the engaging faces of the vertical edges 61 on the bottom of the lower part of the sleeve 60 of the ejectable section 24 and on a pair of mating vertical edges 86 on the upper end of the sleeve 77 on the pivotable member 74. When the ejectspring 76 in cocked condition.

able section 24 is rotated in the clockwise direction, rotational forces are transmitted by the engaged edges 61 and 86 so as to pivot the member 74 and to consequently store energy in the spring 76. When the power spring 76 is retained in its cocked condition by the engaging means 73, the full power of the cooked spring 76 is transmitted across the engaged faces 61 and 86. The resultant normal force across these engaged faces creates sufficient frictional force to restrain relative movement of the faces axially of the stud 45, thereby preventing ejection of the section 24 by the spring 32.

The releasable engaging means 73 includes the lug 87 of the lower part of the sleeve 60 and an elongated pivot arm 88 adapted to engage the ing to retain the power As seen best in FIGS. 3 and 6, the pivot arm 88 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the underside of the cover plate 50 by a rivet 89 and is biased in the clockwise direction by a spring 90. The inner end of the arm 88 acts as a finger 91, adapted to engage the lug 87 when the device is cocked or set, while the other end 91a extends outwardly of the case through a slot 93 in the side wall 35 providing means in position to be shifted counter-clockwise by the user for releasing the engagement between the finger 9 1 and the lug 87. When the finger 91 is disengaged from the lug 87, the ejectable section 24- is released -for clockwise rotation under the influence of the energy in the power spring 74, thereby dissipating the restraining frictional force, and for ejection by the ejecting spring 32 from the case 30.

As stated above, the sound-producing means 28 is actuated in timed relation to the projection of section 24 and is interrelated structurally as well as functionally with the ejecting structure of the device which has just been described.

Broadly, the sound-producing means 28, seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a sound chamber having one wall comprised of a suitable membrane or diaphram 96 to which is fixed a resilient striker blade 92 and a driven member 94 which is rotated by the pivotable member 74 to engage and actuate the blade 92 to produce the desired sound.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sound chamber 95 is provided by a portion of the case 30 which is closed ofif between the flat, vertically disposed diaphram or member 96 and a portion of the cover plate 50. The diaphram 96 is supported and positioned by a pair of vertical disposed ribs 98 which extend inwardly from the vertical wall 35 of the case 30 and cooperate with the curvature of the vertical wall 35 to hold the diaphram in position. One end of the thin, elongated, resilient striker blade 92 is secured to a point on the outside of the diaphram 96 intermediate its edges, as by means of a pair of rivets 100.

The driven member 94 is shown in detail in FIG. 9 and includes a circular inertia disk 102, a small driven gear 104, and a shaft 106, all coaxially aligned. The driven member 94 is positioned with the shaft 106 extending vertically, the shaft being supported between the cover plate 50 and the bottom wall 33 of the case 30 for free rotation about its axis. The small gear 194 is engaged by the pivotable member 74 during release of the power spring 76 to effect rapid rotation of the driven member 94. The inertia disk 102, fixed to the shaft 106, is positioned adjacent the free end of the striker blade 92 and has its peripheral edge notched to form a continuous series of projections 108 for engaging that end of the blade 92 so as to vibrate the membrane 96 and thereby produce a loud siren sound incident to rotation of the driven member 94.

Now to consider the operation of the device. The ejectable section 24 is first positioned upon the case 30 with the sleeve 60 received upon the center rod 45. The ejectable section 24 is then rotated in a clockwise direc tion causing edges 61 and 86 to engage. Further rotation of ejectable section 24- rotates the pivotable member 74 in a clockwise directon causing the power spring 76 to be stressed. When the pivotable member 74 is rotated sufiiciently, the finger 91 engages the lug 87, as shown in FIG. 3, to prevent uncocking of the power spring 76. When the parts are in this position (FIG. 3), the action of the stressed, cocked spring 76, in cooperation with the engaged edges, creates frictional forces which prevent the ejection spring 32' from propelling the section 24 upwardly. Engagement between the finger 91 and the lug 87 also prevents operation of the soundproducing means 28.

With reference to the engagement ofthe lug 87 with the finger 91, the rotation of the ejectable section 24, including the lug 87, causes the finger 91 to be urged outwardly by the lug 87, allowing said lug to pass. After the lug 87 has passed the finger 9-1, the latter is urged by its spring 99 back to the position shown generally in FIG. 3. When the user stops rotating the ejectable section 24 in the clockwise direction and releases it, the spring 76 is then allowed to slightly rotate the ejectable section 214 and pivotable member 74 back in the counterclockwise direction. This counter-clockwise rotation of the ejectable section 24 urges the lug 87 against the finger 91, as shown in FIG. 3. There is sufficient force in the spring 76 at this point to maintain the ejectable section 24 on the case 34 To operate the illustrated watch 20, the end 91a of the pivot arm 83 may be pressed to rotate the arm 38 in the counter-clockwise direction, thereby disengaging the finger 91 from its engagement or contact with the lug 87. This disengagement permits uncocking of the power spring 76, thereby doing away with the frictional forces which serve to retain the ejectable section 24 on the case 30.

Disengagement of the finger 91 from the lug 87 also allows the spring 76 to actuate the sound producing means 28. Specifically, when the finger 91 is disengaged from the lug 87, the member 74 is rotated rapidly in the counter-clockwise direction by the spring 76, causing the large driver gear segment 86 to rotate small driven gear 104- of the driven member 94 at considerable speed, and then to disengage from small gear 194 as shown in FIG. 5, to allow the driven member 94 to rotate freely. As the driven member 94 rotates, the projections 10% of the inertia disk 102 engage the free end of the sounding striker blade 92 causing a loud siren sound effect. The watch may be repeatedly reset by simply repeating the sequence of steps just described.

Thus, a unique and novel combination effect is produced. Obviously, various modifications may be made to the described structure without departing from the scope of the invention.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A novelty comprisinga body simulating the appearance of a timepiece, said body having a base section and an ejectable section, said base section being in the form of a watch case and including means for fastening said base section to the wrist of a person and part of said ejectable section being in the form of a watch dial, a spring connected between said base section and said ejectable section, releasable means mounting said ejectable section upon said base section with said spring depressed therebetween to bias said ejectable section outwardly from said base section and operable when released to eject said ejectable section outwardly from said base section, means on said base section for producing a sound effect, and a control means on said base section for releasing said releasable means to allow said spring to propel said ejectable section outwardly and for operating said soundproducing means in timed relation to said propelling.

2. A novelty comprising a body simulating the appearance of a timepiece, said body having a base section and an ejectable section positionable upon said base section, said base section being in the form of a watch case and including means for fastening said base section to the wrist of a person and part of said ejectable section being in the form of a Watch dial, a spring connected between said ejectable section and said base section and urging said ejectable section outwardly from said base section in a first direction when said ejectable section is positioned on said base section, resilient means on said base section relea-sably engageable with said ejectable section, when the latter is positioned on said base section, to exert a force upon said ejectable section in a second direction transversely of the first direction to create a frictional force in said first direction sufiicient to prevent movement of saidejectable section in response to said spring, and manually operable release means on said base section for releasing said resilient means to allow said spring to propel said ejectable section outwardly.

3. A novelty comprising a body simulating the appearance of a timepiece, said body having a base section and an ejectable section positionable upon said base section, a first spring between said ejectable section and said base section urging said ejectable section outwardly from said base section in one direction, engaging means on said base section releasably engageable with said ejectable section, when the latter is positioned on said base section, to exert a force upon said ejectable section in a second direction transversely of the first direction, a second spring which is tensioned, when said engaging means is engaged to create a frictional force in said first direction sufficient to prevent movement of said ejectable section in response to said first spring, sound-producing means on said base section, and operable by the release of said second spring to produce a sound effect, and manually operable release means on said base section for releasing said engaging means to allow said first spring to propel said ejectable section outwardly and to allow said second spring to operate said sound-producing means to produce a sound effect in timed relation to said propelling.

4. A novelty comprising a body simulating the appearance of a timepiece having a case and an upwardly directed face, said body having a lower section and an upper ejectable section positionable upon said lower section, said ejectable section including the face of said timepiece, means on said ejectable and lower sections for receiving said ejectable section in vertically slidable and rotatable engagement, a first spring between said ejectable section and said lower section for propelling said ejectable section upwardly and outwardly from said lower section, a member which is rotatably mounted on one of said sections, and is adapted to engage the other of said sections when said ejectable section is positioned upon said lower section and rotated in a predetermined direction, said rotation serving, by virtue of said engagement, to rotate said member in a first direction relative to the section upon which it is mounted, a second spring urging said member in a second direction opposite from said first direction, whereby rotation of said member in said first direction loads said second spring, means actuatable by the movement of said member in said second direction for producing a sound effect, engaging means on said lower section for releasably restricting rotation of said member in said second direction in response to the urging of said loaded second spring to thereby also prevent upward movement of said ejectable section, and manually operable release means on said lower section for releasing said engaging means.

5. A novelty comprising a body simulating the appearance of a timepiece having a case and an upwardly directed face, said body comprising a base section having a generally vertical, upwardly extending rod, said body also comprising an ejectable section which includes said face, said ejectable section being positionable upon said base section in rotatable and axially slidable engagement with said rod, said ejectable section having a first cam means, a first spring between said ejectable section and said base section for propelling said ejectable section upwardly from said base section, a member rotatably positioned on said rod, said member having a second cam means adapted to engage said first cam means on said ejectable section when said ejectable section is positioned upon said base section and rotated in a first predetermined direction, a second spring urging said member in a second direction opposite from said predetermined direction, whereby rotation of said member in said predetermined direction loads said second spring, means actuated by the movement of said member in said second direction for producing a sound efiect, engaging means on said base section for releasably restricting rotation of said mem her in said second direction in response to the urging of said loaded second spring to thereby also restrict upward movement of said ejectable section in response to the urging of said first spring, and manually operable release means on said base section for releasing said engaging means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,807 Lawson et a1. June 3, 1952 

1. A NOVELTY COMPRISING A BODY SIMULATING THE APPEARANCE OF A TIMEPIECE, SAID BODY HAVING A BASE SECTION AND AN EJECTABLE SECTION, SAID BASE SECTION BEING IN THE FORM OF A WATCH CASE AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID BASE SECTION TO THE WRIST OF A PERSON AND PART OF SAID EJECTABLE SECTION BEING IN THE FORM OF A WATCH DIAL, A SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BASE SECTION AND SAID EJECTABLE SECTION, RELEASABLE MEANS MOUNTING SAID EJECTABLE SECTION UPON SAID BASE SECTION WITH SAID SPRING DEPRESSED THEREBETWEEN TO BIAS SAID EJECTABLE SECTION OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE SECTION AND OPERABLE WHEN RELEASED TO EJECT SAID EJECTABLE SECTION OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE SECTION, MEANS ON SAID BASE SECTION FOR PRODUCING A SOUND EFFECT, AND A CONTROL MEANS ON SAID BASE SECTION FOR RELEASING SAID RELEASABLE MEANS TO ALLOW SAID SPRING TO PROPEL SAID EJECTABLE SECTION OUTWARDLY AND FOR OPERATING SAID SOUNDPRODUCING MEANS IN TIMED RELATION TO SAID PROPELLING. 